Highway-crossing gate



Sept. 25, 1928.

J. A. ANDERSON HIGHWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 14, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet Inventar TL Zn /477C7erfpoh 14 ttormgy Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,623

J. A. ANDERSON HIGHWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 14, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 1/5214 4. 4na7el'son Sept. 25, 1928. 1,685,623-

J. A. ANDERSON HIGHWAY CROSSING GATE Filed Sept. 14, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Attormgy Patented Sept. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES JOHN ARTHUR ANDERSON, or roar mam, M1516, cream inen'wai-eaos's'rue GATE.

Animation filed sepiefiibef 14, 197. semi no. 519,438.

, The present invention relatesto an improved highway crossing gate structure such as is employed at points where public highvays, stre ets, and the like intersect railway 6 tracks and the purpose oftheinvention is to provide a means for safeguarding the lives of pedestrians, automobilists, and other occupants of highways and the like, I p I I :7 Myprineipal aim is to generally improve upon inventions" of this classby providing one which embodies a new association and org'a'niz'ation of elements which cooperate in produeinga highly vellicient and dependable struetureof this type.

nientra'nd association, upon which myelaims are based, will become more readily apparent from the following description and draw- ];h the drawingsi I I Figure lis a fragmentary perspective view show ng I the diagrammatic illustration of railway tracks, a highway crossing, the gate, and an approaehingtrain. I I

Fig, 2 is a fragmentary sectional and elevational view onan enlarged scale showing portions of the trip mechanism, the View being. on the right hand side of the track in Fi .1. I I

w rig. is new eb an li e F 2 showing the same parts on the opposites'ide the f ek Fig. 4 is a vertical section takenapproximately upon the plane of the line H of I F ig, 5 isan enlarged detail perspective view of the train actuated portion of the trip c a i -.7 a

Fig. 6 is an end view of the gate and a complemental post.

Fig. 7 is a view vice. I I I I I Fig, 8 is a perspective View of a forming apart of said device. 4

Fig. 9 is a topplan viewshowing the complementali posts and a single gate cooperat ing therewith. I I

Referring now to Fig. 1, it will be se en that the reference character 10 designatesthe gate on the right hand side of thetra'ck and Y11 designates the gate onthe opposite side. In-

cidentally, these gates are or the same construction and a description of one will suflice th. i

It follows that a pair of posts 12 and 13 ,con-

stitute the support for the gate. In Figs. 6

of an electrical reset deplunger The particular details their arrangeand 9, we see the" post 12. As'here shown, this is provided atits top with a guide slot 14 and provided on itssame side and at its bottom with a guide bracket 15. The complemental post 13 shown in Fig. 9, is recessed on one side to accommodate a casing for internal mechanism. I

eferring now to .Fig. 4, it will be noted that th e gate comprises an upper bar 16 and a lower 17. A ,net work is connected to thesebarsto complete. the gate, and this coinprises a plurality of horizontal rods 18 connected together by shortvertical rods 19 and eyes, 2Q. II The rod 17 is slightly shorter than the rod 1 6 and the last-named rod is provided at its innerend with a circ' ular head 21 having alieeper notch on one' side This head is keyed upon a short operating shaft 22 suitably journaled for rotation in a bearing in epos Also as in. this figure, a latch 23 is piv t y mou ted bet e s e ds, a has its laterally directed end constructed for reeeptiqn in theiioteh When thus located in the notch,' it s 'ervesto hold the gate an elevated or ineffective position. A coiled spring2 fl is c'onnected with the latch above t 'e ivot and suitably anchored to the post. I Cl esely associated with the latch, we find a pair of trip fingers 25-and 26. These are keyed upon a horizontal rock shaft 27. The finger25 is slightlylonger than the finger 26, and it' bears against one longitudinal edge of the latch 23, at a point above the pivot for the latch. The other finger engages the latch below the pivot. I I I I ,I ncide'ntally, the purpose of using the two fingers, isto permit the device to be operated from either side of the track. For example, on the right hand end ofth 'e track, one er serves to trip the latch while on the other side,

I the other finger operates in the same capacity.

WVhile considering the mechanism here shown, it is desirab e to mention a suitable source of light, in the form .Of a lamp housing, 28, which isniounted on the top of the post and whiehserves to projecta beam of light throu h a visible signal. These signals are in the -orm of a green lens29 and a red lens 30. These lenses are carried by a rockably mounted segment 31, and an operating link 32 connectswith this segment, and has eccentric connection withthe circular, head 21. Thus when the gate. is up and in'aclear position, the ,gi ee? site the source 0 light to indicate a clear lens29 is pesitiened oppe- I This enables persons at a distance to ascertain the condition of the trackwhen approaching. Considering Fig. 9 again, it will be noted that the free end portion of the upper bar 16 is offset as at 33 to operate in the aforesaid guide slot 14 in the post 12. It follows too, that the lower bar 17 operates in the guide bracket 15. i I

' Also as shown in this figure, and in Figs. 2 and 3, a gear 34 is connec'ted with the small shaft 22 and is in mesh with a pinion 35,

actuated through themedium of a hand crank 36. These details 34, 35 and 3 6 constitute a manually operated means for lifting or raising the gates to elevated position. i i g It is believed that the manually operated reset device just referred to is advantageous for use in outlying districts. However, in the'city, I prefer to employ an electrical contrivance or appliance, such as is represented in Fig.7 In this arrangement, I provide an electro-magnet 37 suitably supported on the upper end of the post 13. This is in electrical connection with rail sections 38, and 39 through the medium of electricity conducting wires 40 and 41, through a suitable source of current such as a battery provided at .42, and a cut-off switch at 43. There is also a switch 44 mounted on the upper end of the magnet and the blade of this switch extends through an elongated slotin the reduced stem portion 45 of the sliding core 46. This core cooperates withthe magnet in an obvious manner, and is pivotallyconuected with the upper bar 16'of the gate. 7

The circ uit is closed by a passing train over the rails 38 and 39 thus energizing the magnet and'retracting the core, lifts the gate to elevated position, and asthe core slides upwardly, the switch 44 is opened to break the current. i j

The switch 44 is automatic in operation, while the switch 43 is manually controlled, the last-named switch being employed only when it is desired to bringthe electrical contrivance into service. Of course, as the gate is elevated, the latch 23 snaps into the notch in the disk 21 to hold it in such elevated position. I 7

As before stated, the electrical and manual means are employed according to the discretion of the railway company. i

Attention'is now directed further to the train controlled trip mechanism. As observed in Figs. 2 and 3, the rock shaft 27, which is journaled in appropriate bearings 45 is provided at its opposite ends with crank arms 46. The crank arm in each instance is connected with a push rod 47 (see Fig. 5). The push rod is operable between guide rollers 48 in an appropriate supporting bracket 49. At one end it is provided with a fork and actuates the pushrod 47. However, a

coiled spring 54 surrounds this rod and engages a suitableshoulder carried by the rod at one end while at its opposite end it may engage an adjacent bracket 49 as shown in Fig. 5. v

Obviously, the spring serves to return the parts of this mechanism to normal position ready for operation. The operation of" the device is as, follows.

Assuming'that the train approaches the trip mechanism, the outstanding part 53 of the fender of the train will engage the tappet 52 and thus trip the mechanism. It follows that the shaft 51 oscillates in a direction to exert a forward thrust upon the push rod 47 through the medium of the crank arm 50. As this push rod 47 is connected with the aforesaid rockshaft 27 thru the crank arm 46, the gate is allowed to drop down by gravity, and this is because the rotation of the rock shaft 27 brings one of the trip fingers 25 or 26 into play, thus releasing the latch 23.

As the gate is lowered'to operative'position to provide a barrier, across the highway, the signalling lens 30 which is red, is brought into view. As the gate drops down, the free end portions ofthe bars 16 and 17 swing into the appropriate guides 14 and 15 as, shown in Figs; 6 and 9; Now, the gate can be'returned to elevated position either by the'--manual means, heretofore described, or the'electrical contrivance. I Y

It is thought that by considering the detailed description inconnectionwith the accompanying drawings, a clear understanding of the invention will be had Therefore, a more lengthy description is believed unnecessary. V Having thus described my invention, what '1 claim-as new is z- 1. In a highway crossing gate of the class described, a gravitylowered gate, a retention 3. In a highway gate crossing structure of the class described, a gate adapted to be lowered to barrier forming relation thru the medium of gravity, a latch for holding the gate in elevated position, trip fingers pivotally mounted and cooperable with said latch for releasing it, and train controlled trip mechanism for actuating said trip fingers.

4:. In a highway crossing gate structure of the class described, a post, a gate swingably mounted on said post and adapted to be lowered to operative position by gravity, a spring pressed latch for holding said gate in elevated position, a rock shaft mounted on said post, trip fingers carried by said rock shaft and cooperable with said latch, and train controlled trip mechanism for actuating said rock shaft.

5. In a highway crossing gate structure of the class described, a post, a gate swingably mounted on said post and adapted to be lowered to operative position by gravity, a spring pressed latch for holding said gate in elevated position, a rock shaft mounted on said post, trip fingers carried by said rock shaft and cooperable with said latch, train controlled trip mechanism for actuating said rock shaft, and means for raising said gate to elevated position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN ARTHUR ANDERSON. 

